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Session 27 -- Celestial Visibility

Oral presentation, Wednesday, January 12, 10:15-11:45, Salons A/B Room (Crystal City Marriott)

[27.04] Beyond Visibility: the "Crucifixion Eclipse" in the Context of Some Other Astronomical Events of the Times

A variety of astronomical, biblical and other historical evidence favors Friday April 3, AD 33 as the date of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ (see Hoehner 1977, "Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ"). There was also a partial lunar eclipse on that day. Schaefer (1990, QJRAS, 31, 53) has shown convincingly that, while technically the eclipse did occur while the moon was above the horizon in Jerusalem, this eclipse could not have been seen from Jerusalem. However there is good evidence that predictable celestial events were regarded as significant even if they were not visible because of daylight or clouds. Some specific examples will be given of celestial events which would not have been visible from the region, but which were none the less regarded as highly significant during this period. It will be argued that the significance of the lunar eclipse on the day of the crucifixion would be independent of its visbility.

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